Not that long ago, I wrote a blog post that was inspired by Kim Scott, the author of Radical Candor. She had written a very brief note around a leader’s responsibility to receive feedback, as well or better than, they are at giving feedback.
And many leaders, to put it mildly, suck at receiving feedback.
And you want to know another surprise? Most of them are unaware of this blind spot. They think they’re great listeners. But they’re not.
They are simply not self-aware!
Self-Awareness
I often say that leaders need to become more self-aware. But then I leave it at that. Hoping they’ll figure out what that means and how to do it on their own.
I came across this wonderful article by Gustavo Razzetti entitled The Power of Self-Awareness: How to Build Successful Teams. In it he shares seven ways to build or increase self-awareness in your teams. I particularly liked this one –
3. Nurture a culture of clarity and transparency
(Mis) Communication is the main reason behind most team tensions. The inability to discuss things openly — people see conflict as hindering, rather than enabling, growth. The more people know their team members, the better they can interact among each other.
Self-aware teams are more self-resilient, self-confident and more adaptive — they share a common purpose.
Clarity doesn’t just help current members collaborate; self-aware teams make the immersion of newcomers much easier. Open dialogue and candid feedback require a safe space. Psychological Safety is necessary for people to speak up without the fear of being ignored, criticized, or punished.
Wrapping Up
I’ve been trying to share compelling articles on my blog that are valuable for agile leaders, coaches, and teams. I hope you found this one met that criteria.
Stay agile my friends,
Bob.